The following Australian provisional patent applications are hereby incorporated by cross-reference. For the purposes of location and identification, U.S. patent applications identified by their U.S. patent application serial numbers (USSN) are listed alongside the Australian applications from which the U.S. patent applications claim the right of priority.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to a data processing method and apparatus and, in particular, discloses a programmable camera system with software Interpreter.
Recently, digital camera technology has become increasingly popular. In this form of technology, an image is normally imaged by CCD array. Subsequently, the images are stored on the camera on storage media such as a semiconductor memory array. At a later stage, the images are downloaded from the CCD camera device to a computer or the like where upon they go subsequent manipulation and printing in the course of requirements. The printing normally includes various image processing steps to enhance certain aspects of the image.
For details on the operation of CCD devices and cameras, reference is made to a standard text in this field such as xe2x80x9cCCD arrays, cameras and displaysxe2x80x9d by Gerald C Holst, published 1996 by SPE Optical Engineering Press Bellingham, Wash., USA.
Recently, there has been proposed by the present applicant, a camera system having a integral inbuilt printer that is able to produce full colour, high quality output images. Further, it is known to apply a filter to a digital image to produce various effects. The number of filters able to be utilized being totally arbitrary with the expectation that further filters will be discovered or created in future.
Unfortunately, changing digital imaging technologies and changing filter technologies result in onerous system requirements in that cameras produced today obviously are unable to take advantages of technologies not yet available nor are they able to take advantage of filters which have not, as yet, been created or conceived.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system which readily is able to take advantage of updated technologies in addition to taking advantage of new filters being created and, in addition, providing a readily adaptable form of image processing of digitally captured images for printing out.
According to the invention there is provided a portable camera with inbuilt printer device, and input means for uploading software, said camera including:
(a) digital image capture device for the capturing of digital images;
(b) an inbuilt programming language interpreter means internally connected to said digital image capture device for the manipulation of a digital image captured by said capture device;
(c) a script input means for inputting a self documenting program script for the manipulation and filtering of said captured digital image to produce visual alterations thereof, said script input means comprising a card reader for optically reading a script printed as an array of dots on one surface of a portable card, there being a visual example of the likely effect of said script on a second surface of the card;
wherein said script is interpreted and executed by said interpreter means to modify said captured digital image in accordance with said script to produce a digital image modified from said captured digital image, in the manner visually exemplified on said second surface of said card, and to provide a printout of said image on said inbuilt printer device.